Pablo Motos Apologizes for VAT Error, Cites Sonsoles Ónega's Proposal
Spanish television presenter Pablo Motos issued a formal apology on his show El Hormiguero after incorrectly stating that the Value Added Tax (VAT) on books in Spain is 21%, when it is actually 4%. The error occurred during an interview with journalist Sonsoles Ónega, who was promoting her new novel. Both hosts criticized the supposed high tax rate and joked about campaigning to lower it, unaware that books already benefit from a reduced super-reduced VAT rate similar to cinema tickets. Following significant backlash on social media, both presenters addressed the mistake in their respective programs. Ónega apologized on her show And Now Sonsoles, clarifying there was no malicious intent. Motos provided a more detailed explanation on El Hormiguero, admitting that his team failed to verify the information proposed by Ónega. He stated that they accepted her suggestion to discuss the topic without fact-checking, acknowledging this as a professional oversight. The incident highlights the risks of live broadcasting and the rapid scrutiny faced by public figures on digital platforms.
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Pablo Motos Apologizes for VAT Error, Cites Sonsoles Ónega's Proposal
Spanish television presenter Pablo Motos issued a formal apology on his show El Hormiguero after incorrectly stating that the Value Added Tax (VAT) on books in Spain is 21%, when it is actually 4%. The error occurred during an interview with journalist Sonsoles Ónega, who was promoting her new novel. Both hosts criticized the supposed high tax rate and joked about campaigning to lower it, unaware that books already benefit from a reduced super-reduced VAT rate similar to cinema tickets. Following significant backlash on social media, both presenters addressed the mistake in their respective programs. Ónega apologized on her show And Now Sonsoles, clarifying there was no malicious intent. Motos provided a more detailed explanation on El Hormiguero, admitting that his team failed to verify the information proposed by Ónega. He stated that they accepted her suggestion to discuss the topic without fact-checking, acknowledging this as a professional oversight. The incident highlights the risks of live broadcasting and the rapid scrutiny faced by public figures on digital platforms.
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